Royal Bane
by Akinriah Tram
Summary: AU Hotaru finds her life jeopardized when all women are summoned to the castle to be the candidate for the prince's wife. Unwittingly, it is just another conspiracy. The chosen woman of the glorified status will be the sacrifice.
1. o1: prologue

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**Royal Bane  
**_By: akinriahtram.  
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I was born during the utmost, crucial time of the Hyuuga Dynasty. It was the time embraced with chaos and despair in the blossoming country of Alicea. My biological mother, Queen Hyuuga Satsuko, an ambitious woman known for her kind and delicate nature, was branded to be executed for the practice of witch craft, and those who lived to serve her, suffered the same inevitable fate.

Ever since I was a young girl, my bed time stories weaved the story of Queen Satsuko's tragic life. My stepmother believed that it was essential for me to know my true heritage, and she placed her faith in me to one day step up and conquer the throne.

According to my step mother, the advisors of the Court were displeased of my mother's generous, yet gratuitous actions in helping the peasants of Alicea. Alicea may be a blossoming country, but that only applied to the Hyuuga Kingdom. Only those who were prosperous, including the merchants and aristocrats, were able to dwell themselves in a life of semi-luxury, while the peasants lived a life of poverty. My mother thought it was unjust and therefore, tried to change the way of things. Those who were living a well-off life and did not want to step down from it gathered together and conspired against her. They persuaded the King to dispose her. The conspiracy was carried out successfully, for it was the time of the Dark Ages; a time when many people died of undetermined diseases due to the Black Plague. The implementation took place on a stormy day, when the angry sky raged in darkness, fighting for my mother's justice. But fate mocked her, and my mother was beheaded.

To ensure their status and seal the doors to any possible threats of revenge, the ministers made sure everyone who was personally connected to her in any way – besides the main royal Hyuuga family – received the death penalty. That year was the year where more than half the population was wiped out. They thought that they had all doors closed. However, there was one flaw. That flaw was me.

My mother, Imai Keiko, the one who raised me as her own biological daughter, was my mother's most faithful lady-in-waiting. When I was born, she escaped the treacherous fate brought down to everyone close to my mother and left the boundaries of the Hyuuga Kingdom. Fulfilling the promise to keep me alive, she took me with her. History never recorded, nor knew of Hyuuga Hotaru. They never knew that Queen Satsuko gave birth to a daughter, the Princess of Alicea. But that didn't matter. The day I was born, I was already stripped off from my glorified royal status. And even if people knew of my birth, it wouldn't make a difference. The name, Hyuuga Hotaru wouldn't mean anything, except for "She was the daughter of the witch who caused the death of our people."

It never bothered me that I was the former daughter of such a powerful family. Even if my stepmother often chided me for my corrupted nature and compulsive affection towards wealth, I had no reason, nor any motivation to claim back what rightfully belonged to me (besides the money part, but I was satisfied living the life as the unfamiliar and unheard daughter of the lucrative merchant, Imai Kouji).

Our family consisted of four members: Keiko, Kouji, me, and my sister, Hinata. Although Hinata was two years my junior, she looked much more feminine than I did. She was the pride and the joy of my father. We weren't related by blood, but she could easily pass as me with her ebony long hair and violet eyes, that are just a shade lighter than mine. My talents were often overlooked because Hinata seemingly always dominated the spotlight. Although my Father treated me as his own daughter, it was evident that he favoured Hinata more; but I preferred to hide in the shadows and be the nonexistent daughter.

Although Father was only a merchant, he was well-known for his merchandises, which he collected from exotic countries, trade with others, and given to him as gifts and presents. Most of his products came from a local blacksmith, Kaname Sonoo, who isolated himself in the Northern Woods. According to Keiko, his father was a close friend to my mother. I often visited the place when Father, Mother, and Hinata attend masquerades hosted by many of Father's acquaintances. My appearance wasn't necessary, and no matter how much my mother disapproved, I had the luxury of staying home.

Mother's presence was a necessity in our house. She was the sun in which our lives revolved around. She was the one that sheltered us and contributed to the laughter in the Imai house. However, the year I turned fifteen, Mother grew very ill to the point where she was bedridden. Our house immediately lost its glow of happiness, as a sickening atmosphere conquered its place. Days passed and nameless figures visited and departed our house.

With all the money Father made from his trade, it all went to finding a medicine for Mother's illness. Doctors visited our house almost every day of that year, and that gave our family hope. In spite of the doctors' prediction that Mother wouldn't live past three months, she fought and lived over five months. Because of such miracle, I always believed that Mother would be able to recover. The thought that Mother's life could slip past my fingers in an instant occurred once, but I never thought much of it, so when Mother vanished from my life forever, I was lost and uncertain about my future.

The thought of reclaiming back my throne struck me, but because I was governed by reasons and logic, I saw no reason to do it. Reclaiming the throne required a lot of effort; there was a considerable amount of plotting and conspiring. If I wanted a coup d'état, then I would need an army and I had no social circle to be able to gather people, and if I were to present myself in front of the royal family as the Princess of Alicea, daughter of the beheaded Queen Satsuko, surely they would throw me into the dungeon.

My resolution was to live a simple of life or marry a rich man just for the sake of my necessities. Love was meaningless in the concept of societal views. Women try to marry with high society class to survive in the judgmental world and not fall into poverty.

Attending masquerades and accompanying Hinata on many trips, Hinata had already secured her position as a potential wife of many aristocrats. The Imais were apparently close friends with the Nogis, who, if I'm not mistaken, are very close to the Royal Hyuugas'.

Father often talked about marrying her off to the Duke's son, but the dream was shattered when his business went bankrupted due to another plague. No one would buy his merchandises, and because all the money that he made went to Mother's bleak treatments, he could not make enough money to sustain us. Father was such a prideful man and could not accept failure. In result, he committed suicide, leaving Hinata and me to fend for ourselves.

For many years, Hinata and I lived just outside the walls of Alicea as peasants. Although our lives were fairly simple, it made me understood why people did not want to fall down and lose their glorified status. As for Hinata, she resented living as a peasant. Due to being pampered by my father, she couldn't adapt to the jobs that were assigned to us, or the stark conditions of the weather. One day, when a close friend of Father came to find her to take her into their family, she severed all ties with me and left with him.

That was when I realized that even through family blood, when someone is desperate for wealth, title, or status, they would be willing to do anything in order to get it. Alicea wasn't some peaceful country. No. Behind its prosperous and brilliant façade of a perfect kingdom, there were conspiracies everywhere. To live in Alicea, one had to be manipulative and cunning, and the family that suffered the most was the family at the top – the Hyuuga Kingdom. Remaining at the top of the social pyramid, there were enemies who bore their fangs as they wait for a good time to attack. That was then when I realized that I was fortunate to still remain in this world as a normal, trivial person; unworthy of anybody's attention.

However, this reflection came too soon, because the moment that this epiphany came to me, the wheels of fate had begun to weave the path that I was to take. I had no idea that one day, I would be holding the crown in my hands as the Princess of Alicea; I had no idea that I would marry the man whom my sister loved; I had no idea that the million lives of Alicea would fall in my hands. Above all, I had no idea that the nation of Alicea would one day bow to their feet… just for me.

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To be continued.

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_A/N: Rather than a typical Mikan/Natsume royal love story, I wanted a change. Regrettably, this author isn't mature or skilled enough to write a politic story, so there won't be much politics involved. However, since characters are older than the manga, they will be more mature. Please note that EVERYTHING here is fictional._

Flames will promptly be ignored. Strict criticisms are welcomed. Meaningful reviews are loved and treasured.


	2. o2: chapter 1

_A/N: I absolutely have no idea what's happening in this fandom – with many author(ess) leaving and such due to inexplicable reasons. However, I hope that things will change if you ever decide to visit this fandom again._

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**Royal Bane  
**_By: _K Tram

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**Chapter 1**

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Working in the fields and tending to the crops was a customary routine for a peasant. In fact, life in Alicea had an established schedule. While notable families were either up drinking their morning tea, having breakfast, or sound asleep in their cozy beds with the fireplace lit to keep them warm, we peasants would already be outside in the cool morning breeze in our tarnished clothes.

But that particular morning, our normal routine was interrupted. "Hotaru! Why are you still in bed?" A soft, angelic voice with a touch of anger and impatience pulled me out of my deep slumber. If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought that it was Hinata, who had left me two years ago, but I had grown accustomed to living without her. Rubbing my eyes, I peered up from my bed to find my neighbor, Anna Umenomiya, shaking her head with disdain. "Mother was right after all. I told her that you would be responsible enough to get out of bed yourself, but she firmly believed you would still be in bed. Why aren't you excited? We are finally able to catch a glimpse of the royal family!"

Scarcely was the Royal family ever seen by the Alicea's inhabitants. The only family associated with the Hyuuga was the Nogis', and the other aristocrats could only meet the royal family during festivities that required banquets. "What's the event?" Looking outside, I couldn't help but glare when I perceived a drab azure shade in the sky, closed to the colour grey. The sun hadn't even woken up from its slumber, and yet I was forced out of bed.

Anna frowned disapprovingly, "Where were you the last few days? Everyone in Alicea was talking about it!" However, the frown slowly faded away, replaced by a distrait smile. Ephemeral emerald eyes grew distant, slowly losing themselves from the reality as she respond in a virtuous manner, "There is a rumor going around that all the women from fourteen to twenty will be assembled as candidate!" I stared at her blankly, "As the prince's wife! After all, the prince's eighteenth birthday is just months away." She gushed, and I couldn't help but narrow my eyes.

It was practically every girl's dream to marry an affluent, handsome man, and the Prince of Alicea was rumored to fit into all those categories. Rumors had that the princesses who have seen him voluntarily proposed themselves to him. Personally, I had no interest in his life, except the fact that he is my step-brother.

"Come on, Hotaru! How can you _not_ be excited?" Anna demanded and I sighed at her liveliness. I was definitely in no mood to gush about being selected as a candidate for the prince's wife. All I wanted was for Anna to leave and allow me to head back to bed.

"Well Anna, why don't you go to the court first, and I'll come after I change. I don't think the prince would like to see us dress in this attire." Anna's eyes widened as if she had witness an epiphany. "Oh my… How could I have not thought of that? Well then Hotaru, I'll meet up with you later! Don't be late. You wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity."

"Next time when you come here, don't forget to bring food." I bid her off. Anna heaved a sigh and shook her head; a smile made its way up to her face, "Yeah, yeah, because all you care about is food and your sleep." I watched as Anna made her way down the countryside's dirt road, back to her house, disappearing into the tiny cottage that she called home. As soon as her mellifluous pink hair faded away from my peripheral vision, I went against my first decision to head back to bed and slipped away from my own home.

…

A morning stroll before sunrise emitted an even more foreignness sensation than being alone in the night. Ever since a young girl, I learned to embrace the foreignness and the feeling of solitary. After all, my existence was never acknowledged in this world, except by Keiko and perhaps, Ringo.

Ringo was Anna's mother was constantly by our house delivering food and helping us settled in our new environment. She knew that Hinata was from a wealthy family, and she understood how hard it was for us to adapt; especially spending fourteen years being overindulged and having maids to serve us.

A sound of tweeting rumbled through the air, and I realized that I had unconsciously walked to the magical kingdom of the forbidden forest. The familiar evergreen trees towered above me, covering the endless blue sky. Some of the sun's rays made penetrated the canopy of the trees and shined on the riverbank located next to Kaname's cottage, illuminating the water and making it sparkled.

"I can't believe that girl…producing such an irksome product." A velvety voice complained from inside the cottage and I spot Kaname's familiar blond hair that flair out a bit in the front poking out the massive farmstead located behind his cottage.

"You know I heard that." Kaname's face popped out the farmstead and rather than feeling embarrassed, he grinned nonchalantly, "I wanted that to happen."

"Seriously Hotaru, if you don't learn to turn off that tweeting alarm that goes off every day at dawn, I will never be able to get my full sleep when I go to bed late. Piyo is probably your most amazing invention but it's tiring to wake up at dawn to shut it off." Kaname heaved a sigh, "I don't get many customers anymore since this place is labeled as the "Forbidden Forest".

The Northern Woods was dubbed as the Forbidden Forest due to a rumor that surfaced the occupants of Alicea. Rumors said that a mutated animal resided in the Northern Woods and cried for food every morning. That mutated animal would not stop its cries until it was feed, and apparently, it fed on meat, including living animals and human beings, if necessary. That's how the Northern Woods became the Forbidden Forest.

Of course that was only a rumor. The creature was actually one of my finest inventions; a robot that emerged around the time I secluded from any communication due to Keiko's death. The tweeting was just the alarm that was used for Kaname's convenience. "Sorry." I grunted. "I'll turn the switch off."

Kaname flushed; a hint of rosiness appeared on his pale cheeks, "A-ah, that's not what I meant." He stammered. I raised an eyebrow, "I'm not offended, you know. If it annoys you, then I'll dismantle the cords."

After dislocating the cords to turn off the robot that resembled a chic, Kaname invited me into tea. "Sorry Hotaru," I twitched. "I know you programmed that alarm clock for my convenience. I'm not comfortable being around many people and I hate being intruded, but it's just, I'm losing business."

"…"

"So what brings you here?"

"Did you hear of today's episode?" I asked him. Taking a sip from the china cup, I realized my mistake. Kaname had already isolated himself from Alicea for many years. All the years I've known him, I've never seen him step into Alicea once. Kaname told me that there were many merchants like Kouji, who exchanged food and luxuries for his products, and in times of need, his best friend, whom I have never met, would bring him all his necessities.

"Anna came to my house today and said that all the women from the age of fourteen until the age of twenty in Alicea will be assembled so that the prince can choose one of them as his wife." Kaname frowned at this piece of information, "Aren't the Hyuugas' still in war with the Kounjis?"

"That was what I thought. No one said anything about defeating the Kounjis'…unless the Hyuugas' are too full of themselves and decided to hold a ceremony in the midst of war. It was rumored that the prince is an intelligent and handsome man, but if he's going to submit to this, that means he only have the looks and no brain."

"Your words are harsh, Hotaru." Kaname chided me with a smile, while shaking his heads.

"Frankly, I find that _you_, my friend, are the devil. Your critiques may sound gentle, but the underlying message is definitely not any nicer than mine. Not to mention, that smile of yours –so angelic and innocent – annoys the hell out of me."

If possible, the innocent smile which I hate ever so dearly etched ever further, "Touché. And by the way, I agree with your reasoning. The age rate is higher than expected. You would expect that they want a maiden younger than the prince to be the queen."

"I expected them to keep the Royal pure blood line thing going and marry a princess from another land."

Kaname smiled charmingly at me, but I knew that it was just another façade, "As a fellow citizen of Alicea and a potential candidate as the prince's wife, aren't you supposed to be out there listening to the speech?"

"And bore myself to death? No thank you. I have no interest in marrying a man who shares half the same blood I do and stands on the top of the social pyramid. If I become the queen or princess, I bet I'll be assassinated before I'll get to eat roe."

Kaname chuckled, "Oh please, Hotaru. You're more capable than that. I'm more worry for the assassin assigned to exterminate you. For all I know, just the sight of those uncanny inventions in action would probably drain half the blood of your assassin."

"This is what I mean by the devil." Drinking up the last of my tea, I stood up and walked out the door, "Anna's probably going to hysterical trying to find me, so I shall be off."

…

Leaving the Forbidden Forrest, I realized that I had spent a lot more time at Kaname's more than I anticipated. At a faraway distant, I could see the mass of people crowded in front the entrance of the court, near the edge of the castle. Auspiciously, the royal family did not make their appearance, and I was able to find Anna effortlessly, due to the pink color of her hair.

"Where were you!?" Anna demanded once she spotted me making my way through the mob of citizens. I had only spent roughly around three minutes in the crowd, and already, I felt dizzy and perspiring due to body heat. The dazzling sun was high in the sky did not help either, and from reading father's books, I could tell that it was approximately nine o'clock. So much for waking up before the sky even turned blue.

The flourish sound of the trumpet blared, saving me from having to answer Anna's question. "Presenting, the Royal family!" The court fell into hushed silence as the royal family emerged from behind the curtains and sat down in their designated chairs. The king then stood up.

"Friends! Countrymen!" I turned and my eyes swept over the King; the man who was my biological father. I was entranced by him, by his aura. Unlike what I've grown up to believe, this man in front of me did not exude an aura of animosity. He did not seem like an austere or a calculating, manipulative man; a trait that was needed to survive at highest level of the hierarchy. In fact, he was very gentle-looking. He stood up and shone like the sun, and I felt what my biological mother must've felt when she gazed at him: pride and admiration. Just his first two words, I could tell he was a confident man, as if he was not afraid of anything. Nothing could cause him to panic, or break a sweat. Perhaps, his outgoing and pleasant personality was the trait that kept him at the top of the social ladder.

I wasn't proud to say that I had inherited his amethyst eyes, but I felt relieved to know that Keiko had not lied to me. I had no intention on reclaiming my thrown, but I was glad to know that the amethyst eyes I inherited were the evidence that he was my father.

"Today, we all gather to clarify the rumors that have been spreading around Alicea. As the town's gossips have it, our most ambitious prince, Prince Natsume, will be choosing his wife before his eighteenth birthday. Indeed, the war between the Hyuugas' and Kounjis' has not ceased, but we can't let that interfere with such a jubilant event. I will do my best to resolve all issues with the Kounji Kingdom, and hopefully, it will not lead to a bloody massacre."

My eyes rested upon his son, the infamous Natsume Hyuuga. Because I was sitting at the side, I only got a side view of him, but I wouldn't deny the fact that he was God's greatest creation. He was like a statue of a Greek God that the Lord, Himself had invested all his time into molding. Unlike his father, he was a sullen man. His eyes were knitted together tightly and he had a cranky expression upon his face while staring in front of him. His eyes were not amethyst. They glow a hue of red rubies, scarlet as blood.

"—All fair maidens of Alicea who fit the age requirement, please proceed to the castle's entrance door." The last sentence pulled me back into reality and I realized that the speech had ended. However, I was stunned when Natsume Hyuuga stood up and turned to face me. His mouth curved, producing a vexing, faint smirk. I blinked, realizing the fact that he had known I had been staring at him, and my eyes narrow. There was something about him – like fire and ice – that triggered my radar, spelling out_ danger_. The aura that enclosed him was oppressive and cryptic. It was when he left the court that I found it easier to breathe.

"I'm so excited!" Anna exclaimed, coming up to me. However, I was too preoccupied to notice her, for my eyes caught the figure of a person that I hadn't seen for two years. Hinata was staring back at me, her eyes blank of any emotions.

"I think the most suitable women for the Prince Natsume should be the two of us. I mean, who isn't better than Luna Koizumi and Hinata Imai?" Hinata's companion, who I assumed was Lady Luna Koizumi, uttered with diligence as she stared after the spot that Hyuuga once occupied.

Luna, I perceived was probably the daughter of my father's friend whom had taken Hinata in. Luna wasn't as pretty as Hinata, but she certainly had an aura of nobility. Her hair spilled all the way down to her back in elegant tresses. Her cheeks were layered with makeup, concealing all natural beauty. Her eyes were the color of the sky, yet they were like the Prince's; mysterious and threatening. I wasn't fond of them.

Although Luna seemed to take charge between the two of them, Hinata's beauty still overpowered her. If Luna was labeled beautiful, Hinata was the Goddess. Hinata inherited Mother's ethereal beauty – gold eyes that glittered in the sunlight and hair the color of black roses. It cascaded over her shoulders like the midnight's waterfall.

Unlike Luna, who dressed according to the new fashion style with tight sleeves and a low square neckline, Hinata wore a simple gown that was forest green, outlined with white laces that accented her shapely figure and slim waist. Just her presence made all eyes turn towards her in awe.

"Why don't they just select all the noble families and be done with it already? I'm sure Prince Natsume will pick me as his queen, and his best friend, Ruka, who was your childhood friend, will marry you. Then all will be settled and peace there will be in this land."

Finally noticing Hinata's lack of words, Luna Koizumi became attentive to her surroundings. Her icy blue eyes turned to me and then back to Hinata. "Do you know her?" Her beatific voice suddenly inflected to match her eyes, which narrowed in infuriation.

Hinata continued to stare at me, emotionlessly. The next sentence she uttered somehow caused my heart to shatter. "No, I don't."

"…" I clenched my jaws. A heavy dreary feeling tugged my heart endlessly. _I will not cry. I'm stronger than that._ I recited to myself and I breathe in, straining my visage to conceal all emotions that threatened to display themselves on my visage.

"Why would I? She's just a peasant."

Luna smiled in satisfactory and latched her hand with Hinata's, leading her out the court. I turned to face Anna. While my eyes were blank and impassive, her mouth quivered and her emerald eyes revealed sorrow and sadness, glimmered with tears.

In this world, people were too selfish and scared of hurting themselves. No one dared to reach out their hands to help others. No one ever dared to reach out to pull me out of my cryptic shell. They just left me alone to sink further down and rot to death. After all, in this world, it was all about power and status. If there was one less person to rival against status and fame, then people will gladly turn a blind eye and let them rot to dead. No one dared to socialize with anybody that wasn't up to their standards.

"Shall we go?" I smiled softly.

As for me, I taught myself to cover up all my emotions. Emotions were weaknesses. They often led people to their downfalls. People thought that I was aloof and unfriendly, but I knew that if I didn't build up the walls around myself, I wouldn't be able to survive long in this world.

However, I was proven wrong by them. Those people were stupid, patient and caring enough to consider me a _friend_ and tried to pull me out of my shell. Over the years, they successfully tore the ice walls down – the frozen layers that I had built around myself. They showed me that in this world, I needed someone to be with. They taught me how to trust again, to believe again, and ultimately… to love and protect all those who are important to me.

They were: _Mikan Sakura, Ruka Nogi_ and ironically, _Natsume Hyuuga_.

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To be continued.

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A/N: The fashion is based upon _dolphingirl0113_'s The King's Mistress. Please remember that this is a HotaruxRuka centric story, so whatever I throw at you, Hotaru will end up with Ruka in the end.

Flames will promptly be ignored. Strict criticisms are welcomed. Meaningful reviews are loved and treasured. Of course, simple and short reviews are adored. THANK YOU~


	3. o3: chapter 2

**Royal Bane  
**_By: _K Tram

**Chapter 2**

It was funny to see the way things work in life. To me, the God of Fate was twisted and had a warped sense of humor. He often tampered with one's life; creating these beautiful, hopeful, and bright futures with unrealistic goals and dreams, only to have them crushed in the end. Happiness is not eternal, and "Forever" does not exist.

I knew this because it was proven by the rendezvous between Hinata and me, but there was an idealistic part of me that continued to hope and wish for things to go back to the way they used to be: The days when Mother and Father were alive and the nights when Hinata sneaked into my room to tell stories about her evening at some fancy banquet she had attended. However, those were just mere delusions of the past.

Anna and I stood of the back of the crowd where daughters were being greeted off by their parents; wishing them luck and praying that their daughter would be the chosen one so that they could live a better life in the future. Friends stood close to each other, gushing about the nonsensical future of becoming Queen of Alicea. I inwardly laughed, thinking the irony of the whole situation. It would be a lion's den once the competition starts. It didn't matter what kind of the methods they used to choose the Queen, because broken friendships were inevitable.

"Remember, this whole event is not worth risking your friendship." This statement came from Ringo who, unlike many other mothers, understood the jeopardies of this event.

Ringo was charming woman. Although she was Anna's mother, she could easily pass as her sister. They were almost like identical twins. Her wavy hair, like Anna's, was a pale hue of pink that draped over her shoulders like a waterfall. Normally, her cerulean eyes twinkled in liveliness, but today, she looked rather tired and paler than usual.

Anna, who was still tearful from the preceding occurrence between Hinata and I gazed at her with an expression I couldn't fully comprehend. It was a mix between apprehension and agitation.

"Last contestants, please sign in!" A gruff voice that held an edge of annoyance called out from above.

Ringo embraced us for the last time when a young soldier, who greatly resembled a girl with long, silky, raven hair that could very well rival Hinata's, trudged up to us. "I'm sorry to rudely interrupt, but the gates are closing," He smiled apologetically, "Can you please proceed to the gates?"

"What happens if the candidate does not show up?" Anna posed the sudden question softly causing me to jerk back and look at her in confusion. The sun's blazing light suddenly dimmed. I'd never imagine her to ask such a question; not when she was gushing about Natsume Hyuuga just at the crack of dawn. At that moment, an indescribable feeling tugged my heart and my sixth sense told me there was something Anna was hiding from me.

The guard smiled and said, "I don't know M'lady. I'm just doing my duty. If you have any questions, you may present them before His or Her Majesty."

He stepped forward, placed his hands on Anna's shoulders, and looked into her eyes as if he understood her pain; as if they were one of the same.

"Shall we proceed?" He asked in a graciously before his eyes analyzed me. In that flicker of a second, I saw how his eyes narrowed; as if he I posed a threat.

Anna didn't give any notice to the tension in the air. She gave a kiss a Ringo's cheek before taking my hand and pulling me towards the entrance of the looming palace; the place where I was born.

* * *

It wasn't hard to distinguish who belonged to a noble family and who came from a peasant family. The elaborate designs on the grown which belonged to the noble families clearly distinguished us from one another. While the gowns of the girls from noble family were colorful, silky and elaborated, the peasants wore simple mono-colored ones.

Even though we all stood in the same room, the rich girls stood together in one small group, chattering quietly among themselves. After all, they were acquainted with each other through business associations and banquets.

I looked around the enormous room, assuming this is the room where banquets were held, for the royal thrones were placed against the wall. I didn't know how long I had been waiting, but besides the stoic guards who stood by the door, there wasn't a single shadow of a royal family member. The thought that they only walked in packs fleeted across my mind and my lips curved in amusement.

We waited for perhaps, a good fifteen minutes. By that time, most of the girls from the noble family were restless from the waiting. They paced around the room and frequently gazed up at the grand entrance, hoping that it would open up to reveal the royal family. The volume in the chatter hit a louder level while I stood at the palace's window, peering down the microscopic village and suddenly, the door to the grand hall slammed open.

A girl scrambled in, only to fall gracelessly over her own feet. The soldiers held out their spears in attempt to seize the intruding girl, only to stop at the sight of her face. She glared at them with her flushed face, as if daring them to proceed on doing whatever they were going to do, and her breath was uneven from what could've been the physical activity she had accomplished. The soldiers made no attempt to do anything else as they back away from her and proceed to their previous stance.

The girl wore a velvet top of a maroon, creamed-coloured dress that had short sleeves and laces up the front. It was a maid's dress. Her auburn colored hair was pulled back into two pig tales, making her look like a little kid, but she paid no heed attention as she joined the commoner's crowd.

Even if the guards dismissed the commotion that the maid had caused, the ladies of the event did not let it slide by quietly. The chatters grew softer amongst their group as occasional mocking looks were tossed her way. An elegant, yet malevolent laugh suddenly rang through a room. Its source came from no other than Hinata's companion, Luna.

"And she thinks she's able to win the prince's affection with her clumsiness."

A girl with dark forest green hair mocked loudly as she glanced at the girl, "I know that it was His Majesty's decision to bring peasant girls into this competition, but for even _maids _to attend... isn't that ridiculous?"

A girl from the commoner's group walked up to her bravely as she confronted the other girl, "Just because you are from the _pure_ blood, you think you can do whatever you want. You think that you're so—"

"Great?" The other girl raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Of course we are. If you talk about the political and the economy system, we are decently high up on the social pyramid. We help the kingdom to prosper through trades. If it weren't for us, you peasants wouldn't be able to live at this moment. Some of our families are in the army; we give up our lives just to save our nation, which includes_ you_." The girl retorted as if it was the most obvious thing, which it was.

"You don't agree with me? Then tell me, what do you peasants do to contribute to this society?" Her wind red lips curled into a haughty smirk, knowing that she had won the conversation. "And please be respectful and address me as Lady Sumire of the Shouda family."

Her head was held high in the air as she made her way back to her own group. The other ladies smiled in admiration and in approval of her speech. The poor peasant girl stood in the middle of the room, shaking hard as her face flushed read from anger and humiliation, refusing to yield to the tears that demanded to drip.

The grand doors suddenly opened, revealing a lady wearing a lavish, soft lavender dress with icy cold blue eyes, resembling the shade of light grey. Rather than a posh hairstyle, her blond hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail. She strolled into the room with grace and style.

Immediately, every one of us gathered into a straight line and curtsied to our feet, knowing fully well that even if she wasn't part of the royal family, she was someone not to be taken lightly of.

"I am Her Majesty's advisor, Serina Yamada." She swiftly introduced herself after telling us to stand up. Her eyes examined every single one of us thoroughly. A flicker of surprise materialized when her gaze dropped on me, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

_She knows_. Something in my guts told me that my façade had already been torn apart by just her. Just one simple glance at me, she knew that I was no ordinary peasant. I wasn't sure if she knew that I was related to the House of Hyuuga, but I knew she had figured something out.

"I am Her Majesty's advisor," Her gaze shifted back to the whole entire group. "Her Majesty has entrusted His Highness' future to me. Every single one of you ladies here has the potential to be the next queen. I cannot express how much of an honor that will be.

"The royal family and those that were carefully selected for this particular event will judge if you ladies are suitable to be the future ruler of this kingdom. This will be judged accordingly through your conduct, your abilities, and your talents. We will judge your talents individually, but we will be fair for all of you have… different backgrounds, so you will stay within the palace for two entire months.

"During these two months, you will be learning the etiquettes of a proper lady. This will help you adapt to life at the Court; it will benefit you ladies in the future. His Majesty was generous enough to hire tutors who will teach you the basics of mathematics, sciences, languages, sewing and other lessons that are required for the future queen to know. This also includes learning proper etiquettes."

"Previously, we have locked all of the forbidden doors, so you are free do wander anywhere you want. However, the far back right wing of the castle is forbidden. No _one _is to wander past the staircase leading to the wing. There are guards who will be guarding the staircase. That will ensure that you won't go past that wing. If you are bored, there is the garden and the library that you are welcome to visit at any time. There will always be many upcoming events and festivities due to the His Highness' birthday. Wandering after bedtime is prohibited, with exceptions to Royal Banquets."

You ladies will each spend a bit of time with His Highness during the week. His Highness is very busy, so your time with him will be very limited. Do you understand everything so far?"

A chorus of "Yes, Lady Serina" rang through the Great Hall and Lady Serina nodded her head in approval of our response.

"Now, as for your stay at the palace; since there are so many of you, we have divided you into two groups. You will not only work together, you will be sleeping together in one of the bed chambers."

"How can you assure the protection around here? What happens if _someone_ does something to one of us while we're sleeping with the means to reduce the amount of competition needed?" Luna's set of blue eyes flickered towards our direction, implying who that 'someone' was.

If Lady Serina detected the implication, she made no effort to show it. Instead, she replied calmly, "It will be a given that the Hyuuga Kingdom is in charge of your protection. There will _not_ be a single death during this competition. If _anyone_ is discovered to have hidden intentions in being part of this competition, she will be immediately be disqualified and banished from the kingdom."

A hitch of breath was heard to my left. I glanced sideways at the girl who had caused the previous commotion. Taking a quick look at her, I knew for certainty that she simply wasn't here just to become the prince's wife.

She was biting her bottom lip. Her chocolate orbs remained impassive, but however, it failed to conceal all traces of anxiety. The sleeves of her outfit shook and I saw her fits tightened in such a fashion that I was sure her nails were cutting through her palm.

* * *

Lady Serina gave us the day to associate ourselves with the castle's surroundings after dividing us into two groups.

I didn't know whether if it was already organized beforehand, but she divided us up precipitously, as if she knew all of us beforehand. She separated all those who were closely acquainted, so Anna and I were naturally separated from each other. Hinata and I weren't in the same sector, but much to my aversion, Luna Koizumi was, along with the girl they dubbed as the Maid and Sumire Shouda.

"I can't believe they're making us room in this place. _Together_!" Sunire Shouda whined childishly as she sat on her chosen bed in our bedchamber, far at the back of the room, closest to the balcony. It was quite a dramatic scene, as if she was the leading actress in a tragic opera.

With exquisite designs painted on the walls and profligate patterns on the floor, the bedchamber could very much qualify to host guests. The curtains were the colour of crimson red; befitting of the title Hyuuga. I didn't have to think twice before knowing it met the criteria of the ladies from the noble family. Even if it was beguiling, it failed to overshadow the fact that twelve girls had to share it. My companions weren't happy, especially the ones that were used to having their own bed chambers.

"I don't like the bed at all." Another girl grumbled at her simple bed.

Two rows of six beds were aligned neatly against the wall. I'd chosen the bed far back, across the room from Shouda Sumire just for the sake of the balcony. There were many other girls who sneered at this, but I disregarded them. After all, I was a peasant, and peasants didn't always know their place.

"Don't you think it's strange?" A girl whom I perceived to be Shizune Yamanouchi inquired to herself as she sat on her bed, "That we are not permitted to go to the far back right wing of the palace?"

"You_ don't_ know?" The query came from Sumire, who was flabbergasted at Shizune's question. "That wing probably belongs to the previous queen, Queen Hyuuga Satsuko, who was beheaded for indulging the practice of witch craft."

"Really?" All the girls crowded around her, interested in the story; I lay down on my bed.

"She almost wiped out half of the population of Alicea, so they beheaded her. Rumor says that she still dwells in the palace, for anyone who enters her bed chamber dies right after. Not only that, when they tried to burn down the wing, the fire refused to spread"

"Well, Satsu does mean _to kill_." Someone pointed out.

I sat quietly on my bed as I listened in on the conversation. How ironic. The conversation that bonded the peasants and the rich girls together was about my mother. I didn't know what to feel about the conversation. Here these girls were, talking about badly about my mother, but I didn't sense any fury or disgrace in being her daughter.

I realized that it was because she was indeed, a stranger to me. Like the noble girls, I grew up listening to stories about the dishonorable queen who was beheaded for indulging in the practice of witch craft. The only difference between them was that I _am_ her daughter, her true kin and the survivor that linked that past to the present.

My stomach churned and I knew that I _had_ to go to the right wing. I needed to understand my mother. Not just stories about her, but actual connections. I need to find something that proved my existence in being her daughter. Not just stories. The only way was to go through her paraphernalia, which could only be located in that right wing. The problem was the guards that stood in front of the staircase. Serina had made it really clear that she didn't want anyone to go there.

If only I had Kaname.

"She was definitely being conspired against." The girl who resembled a maid declared impudently.

Everyone looked up at her in surprise at the unexpected interruption. Her lips formed a straight line. Her brown eyes stared down at the other girls as if she was of greater superiority than them, which I could tell, infuriated them.

"Oh really," Sumire sneered. "Please enlighten us on how you know this."

The girl seemed to hesitated, but then quietly, she replied, "My mother told me."

A shrill, mocking laughter came from Luna as she stood up.

"Do you hear that, darlings?" Luna asked in a sugary sweet voice that made my blood boiled. "Her _mother_ told her that. I'm surprised that even_ she_ has a mother, but then again, her mother is just another commoner who doesn't even know anything and makes up lame twists to stories that aren't true."

The maid's face flushed a rosy colored red as her cheeks burned with anger. "My mom doesn't lie!"

Luna chose not to reply. Instead, she strolled out the door, but not before turning back and gave the other girl a mocking smile. Almost every girl followed Luna's exemplar, as they too, stood up and saunter out the bedchamber. Some even patted the girl on the head with a look of pity and shook their heads.

I was about to follow their lead, but only to go and explore the grounds. However, something about the way the girl sat on top of her bed, teary-eyed and lost compelled me to turn around and uttered the words, "I believe you."

She looked up, alarmed at my sudden declaration, and then a slow, buoyant smile appeared on her face. The brown eyes shined with joy and I stood frozen on the spot.

No, it can't be. I thought to myself. Because the girl reminded me of a girl I had seen before. Even if she disguised herself with that horrid maid outfit and pulled her hair back into two ridiculous pig tales, the smile could not hide her true identity.

"What's your name?" I enquired her calmly, but my breaths were uneven.

"Mikan Sakura." She smiled, "How about you?"

I ignored her question, along with the pulses of my agitated heart. "Don't lie."

Perplexity washed over her innocent face. "What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend you don't know, Princess Mikan of the Yukihara kingdom."

With my statement being said, Mikan narrowed her eyes; her friendly smile froze in place.

At that moment, time seemed have slowed down as a period of silence engulfed the air.

Mikan then made a statement, "If you say anything about this to _anyone_," Her voice dropped a pitch lower and even if it remained charming as before, I could hear the underlying menace vibrating in the air. "I will kill you."

.

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**To be continued.**

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_A/N:_ So what is Mikan's motive in becoming part of this competition? Anyone dare to guess? (: Ruka will appear next chapter (At least that's what I'm hoping). Please review~


	4. o4: chapter 3

**Royal Bane**  
By: K Tram

Chapter 4

"Are you really in the position to talk?"

I stared into her eyes, the gateway to one's soul, which seemed to recoil at my words, shrinking back and showing the hesitation which the girl in front of me tried ever so desperately to hide.

"What do you mean?" Her voice remained calm and passive, but I caught a slight quiver that lasted a fraction of a second before it evaporated into thin air.

"You are in the Hyuuga territory." I answered her passively, my eyes feigning indifference. "Everyone knows that the Yukihara kingdom betrayed their alliance with the Hyuuga kingdom just the beginning of this year. If I disclose this information to anyone, your head will be rolling before you can touch me."

The Yukihara princess' eyes darkened, "They won't believe you."

"I'm sure that if the Hyuuga Kingdom were to search, they'll unveil the secrets of your birth."

There was a moment of silence, and then the princess asked, "What do you want?"

The intimidating and hostile attitude was gone, leaving only hopelessness and feebleness, but her hands clutched tightly into two fists and they shook from frustration and anger. I knew better than to show any sympathy.

"You can give me a certain amount of Rabbits in exchange for your secrecy and then we can go our separate ways. You can continue to masquerade here as a maid while I leave this place."

The princess of the Yukihara kingdom looked down, dejected at my proposal. "I can't give bequeath your demand. I don't even have enough to support myself, hence why I joined this competition."

"Stop lying."

"I'm not! I don't even know how you know I'm the Princess of the Yukihara kingdom."

I stared at her blankly. She inhaled deeply and recollected herself from her hysterical behaviour.

"I was disowned by her family years ago! All my records were destroyed and I was banished by my own family. They declared that Mikan, the Princess of the Yukihara Kingdom, died from a severe illness. I somehow made it to the Hyuuga Kingdom, and that was when I heard of the betrayal of the Yukiharas."

"So you don't know anything about why your family betrayed them?"

"No, but I know that after I was disowned, my uncle disappeared and my father died. I believe this is an important factor that lies in the betrayal. My mother also disappeared and our Royal Advisor, Reo, snatched the throne."

"So you entered this event to propose peace between the Hyuugas and the Yukiharas."

"No." Mikan interrupted. "It's true I want peace between the two kingdoms. However I'm more concerned with their power I want the power of the Hyuuga's kingdom. With their power, I will be able to restore order in my own country."

"Why would you do that? Your family disowned you and banished you. Look at the state you're in. I would hate the royal family, wouldn't you?"

"I don't hate them. I believe they had a good reason to disown me and I love my kingdom. I'm willing to do anything to save it."

I stared deep into her chocolate orbs, looking for any betrayal to her answer.

Realizing there was none, I said, "You won't be able to achieve your objective."

"What?" Her eyes once again, narrowed dangerously.

I didn't hesitate to answer her, "You're too naïve, you trust in others too easily and are too honest for your own good. The Hyuugas won't simply abide to your wishes, Princess."

"Don't call me that!" The girl snapped and I could see she was fighting back her tears, but I ignored it, pretending I hadn't notice anything. "And I am _not_ ignorant."

"You could've prolong the exchange time to my request – whether if you had the amount of not— yet you informed me of your history. If you were to do that to every person who demands money from you, your secret will, beyond doubt, be revealed before you achieve your objective. If you don't learn to manipulate or coax your enemies into becoming your allies with you, you're pretty much at your end, Mikan. After all, there are no room for mistakes in court. You should know that."

With that being said, I turned to leave the room.

"Wait!"

I turned around and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"Can… can you help me?" The bangs over her forehead covered her eyes, and she stared at the floor. She looked helpless, as if she was a child who had lost sight of the world. "Can you help me with my quest, Hotaru?"

I stared at her, as if she had just said something outlandish and irrational, in which she did too. Mikan probably foresaw the consequence of her request, for she quickly clarified it.

"I just need you to help me win this tournament. Help me gain the prince's trust and ensure that no one else finds out about my real identity. You must also help me remain in this competition."

I didn't know how to reply, for surely, I knew I had got myself into something troublesome and treacherous. However, because something in Mikan reminded me of my sister in the olden days, I reluctantly agreed.

"What am I getting in return?"

Mikan answered, "If I restore order to my land, I promise that I will give you power. You will govern a piece of land of the Yukihara Kingdom."

I declined, "I prefer to live a simple life."

"Then I'll assure you'll live a life in luxury. Anything you request will be given."

A small smirk was unveiled on my lips and the idea of testing her willpower to restore order to her kingdom came to me.

"Even the throne?"

I expected her to recoil at my demand, yet she surprised me with her answer.

"Why would you want to rule a whole nation when you don't even want to rule a small piece of land? The role of the queen is difficult and requires sincerity and patience. Like the king, you duty it to protect your people. It is the first and foremost duty in line."

She stared right into my eyes, eyes blazing with fire. It was as if she was another person. Gone was the clumsy girl who tripped over herself. Gone was the girl who was pitiful and a disgrace to her own kingdom. Gone was the girl who was naïve and had idealistic thoughts. It was as if she was overcome by the spirit of an empress; as if she, herself, was the ruler of the Yukihara kingdom.

"It is better not to carry such a burden, Hotaru."

Danger.

It seemed like those who were born of the royal descendent were bound to its grasp, and those who surrounded the royal descendents would be brought into their misfortune.

Mikan _Sakura_, princess of the Yukihara kingdom was an optimistic and ambitious princess. While she was calculative and ambitious, her naïveté and foolishness were honest traits. However, that still didn't obliterate the fact that those who acquainted himself with her would perish in the end, unless you were of royal descendent. The best enemy is its own kind.

Mikan, herself, wasn't dangerous. It was the secrets that she carried— the knowledge ingrained into her mind— that were dangerous. Everything she knew could and would cause downfall to many countries. The Yukihara kingdom wasn't to be underestimated, even if they lost their most potent alliance – the Hyuuga kingdom. Their country by far had the best equipped army, efficient weapons, and the latest technology.

Hyuuga Natsume was a different story. He had a looming oppressive aura to him, and I couldn't read him. From observing him during the introductory speech, I could tell he was a calculative and perceiving. It was a given that his senses were sharp, and I knew there was no way the Yukihara princess could last through the whole entire competition, much less earn the Hyuuga's prince trust.

_Are you willing to help her? _

My conscience disturbed my inner peace and enquired again.

The answer was no. I didn't want to be involved with any political matters. I had told myself to never be involved with any schemes concerning the royal family, and I had neither intention nor reason to change my stance.

_Then why are you a part of this competition? Why don't you just leave now?_

I stared up into the blanket of azure that seemed to stretch across the whole universe. Why am I still here then? I could easily cause some disreputable scene that could suggest I had a hidden agenda and be withdrawn from the whole event.

At this thought, my heartstrings tugged, reminding me my mission in the Hyuuga Kingdom. I realized that Mikan wasn't the only one with a hidden agenda; I also had one. I wanted to find out the life which my mother led before she was executed. I wanted to know the history between King Hyuuga and Queen Satsuko.

"_The role of the queen is difficult and requires sincerity and patience. Like the king, you duty it to protect your people. It is the first and foremost duty in line."_

I couldn't fathom ruling an entire country. To live solely for your people, it was something I couldn't imagine anyone doing. I thought of the stories Keiko told me and I realized that Satsuko willingly gave up her life for these countrymen. Everything she did was for the people.

And then I thought about the king— the man who was supposedly my father. Why did my mother marry him? Did he marry my mother out of obligation through a royal engagement? Was my mother royalty in the first place?

The probability of an arranged marriage for wealth and alliance was high. After all, the king did marry another woman right after Satsuko's death. I wouldn't be stunned if love didn't exist between them. In fact, I was more perturbed at the fact that I knew nothing about my biological mother's life. Nothing besides the dishonourable tale that marked the end of her life; the only imprint that proved she existed. Everything about Satsuko Hyuuga's life was ambiguous, like a shadow trapped behind a veil of mist. She was executed and accused for the practice of witchcraft. Besides that, no one knew anything about her previous life; a life before she was Queen. It was as if all her records were abolished, just like Mikan Yukihara's.

"It is lovely here, isn't it?" I hitched a breath, recognizing the vibrant amiable voice that belonged to the ruler of our kingdom. Turning to the right, I saw His royal majesty strolling down the path of wild roses with a few ladies in waiting and Serina trailing after him. "Are you enjoying your stay here?"

"It is very lovely here. Thank you for asking, Your Majesty." I curtsied at his presence, staring down at the ground and avoiding eye contact with him. Something in me did not permit me to look at him directly in the eye and I wished for the ground to open up and consume me whole for I felt exposed and guilty of knowing a truth he didn't.

King Hyuuga stood proud and majestic, a noble king like he was, and stared right at me with a smile.

"What family are you from Miss…?" He trailed off, realizing that he did not know my name.

"Hotaru, Your Majesty; I am Hotaru of the Imai family."

"Imai?" His eyebrows furrowed, "Daughter of the deceased Imai Keiko and Kouji?"

"Yes Your Majesty." I diverted my eyes as if I felt ashamed being their daughter, but the king did not noticed; in fact, he stared at me, furrowing his eyebrow, as if he was confused. An atmosphere of awkwardness surrounded us as a blanket of silence fell down. The king did not respond. In fact, it looked as if he was catatonic; lost in a dimension of filled with his own thoughts.

"Is anything the matter, Your Majesty?"

He snapped back to reality and a forlorn expression was emerged onto his face. "It must've been hard on you all these years, Hotaru. You and Hinata must have gone through many hardships." If it had been another person, I would've immediately lashed out on him. I didn't like a stranger's sympathy, for customarily, one would say something polite to another in order to make him feel better about himself, but the person in front of me was the king, so I could not risk offending him in anyway.

"It isn't as bad as you think, Your Majesty." The tone of my voice came out frostier than I intended, but nevertheless, the king was not offended in anyway. In fact, he smiled his ever-so gentle smile as if he didn't notice my change of tone.

"Well Hotaru, can you please accompany me on a walk?"

"Your Majesty!" Lady Serina interrupted. Disapproval was apparent all over her face at the peculiar question. I thought that if King Hyuuga wasn't my father and I had a nasty streak of enjoying another person's misery, resembling one of the noble women in the competition, I would've immediately taken advantage of the situation just to irritate the lady.

However, I understood Lady Serina's qualms. A lady like me isn't supposed to make any contact with the royal family besides the prince, himself. Such acts would be considered improper and scandalous. Therefore, I curtsied low at his feet and said, "I am not worth of doing so, Your Majesty."

A sudden laugh echoed through the summer warmness.

"You were definitely well taught by Keiko and Kouji," The king nodded in acknowledgement.

My eyebrows twitched and it took everything in me to fight the urge of glaring in his direction. He was testing me. I was furious at that thought. What right did he have to test my abilities and my etiquettes? If I didn't respond well, would he have ridiculed the deceased Imais?

"However, I insist."

"Your—"

"Serina." He interrupted, "I know what I'm doing."

She stepped back from her place and bowed down. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I—"

Like a whole different person, Lady Serina interrupted me with indifference in her voice, "It would be wise to accept His Majesty's proposal, Lady Hotaru."

I stared at her, but the woman did not even blink. She simply stared ahead, so I decided that there was no way out of his request.

"It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty."

…

While the king knew exactly where he was going, I was bewildered at the foreign surrounding me. My internal clock told me that we had walked for at least half of an hour's time. What puzzled me even more was that King Hyuuga made no exchange. He simply just walked, and I simply followed him, one eye trained on his proud majestic back and the other eyeing the different changes of scenery.

We had walked past some ladies chatting among themselves, enjoying the royal garden in which I found to be a haven of extreme beauty; past a large fountain filled with blue spring water, in which the structure of an orb surrounded encircled by flames at top could very well be a symbol marking the Hyuuga's territory and countless statues that seemed to duplicate themselves.

I pondered at the strange layout, quite sure that it could very much be one of the greatest wonders of the world. There were hedges of privet and copper beech surrounding the boarders of the garden, while other types I could not identify divided the beds. Some revealed diagonal passages that were precisely hidden to a spectator's naked eye. There were towering trees planted between the beds with its branches pointing out haphazardly while others were pruned neatly into arch shapes. A couple of twists and turns led us to the dark-gray stoned wall which encircled the castle.

"Now where was it again?" King Hyuuga murmured to himself as he stared at the wall. I squinted my eyes, trying to perceive what it was he was looking for. For me, the walls were made of stones, all identical to each other, but to the king, they were a series of patterns, each with their own meaning.

His eyes gleamed as a refined smile formed upon his face. He touched a particular stone and immediately, a part of the stone wall pulled forward and revealed a bedspread of tree trunks, indicating that we were in the woodland that surrounded the castle and connected itself to the Forbidden Forest. I remember seeing a map of Alicea in my father's old study room during the days when I used to reside in my father's study room and read to my heart's content. While I knew that the castle neighboured a forest, I never thought that you could actually set foot in it from the Hyuuga Kingdom.

Astonishment must have washed itself all over my face for the king grinned at me and said, "Oh, there are many hidden passages in the kingdom, but please don't go looking for them."

I paused at his vague sentence. Was he naïve just like Princess Mikan of the Yukihara kingdom to broadcast the castle's secrets or was he actually testing his leadership as the king of Alicea? Did he think that because he, the King of Alicea, told me to not dig around that I would listen to him, or did he actually want me to go looking for them? I couldn't understand the man so I felt like shutting down my brain to take a nap. It made me miss my Catapillar sleeping bag.

It felt like an endless walk; a walk in the middle in a dimension that consisted only of the colour green with hues of brown. The humidity from Mother Nature wrapped itself in the air as our surrounding consisted of trees, small exotic plants that I could not recognize in various shades of colours and vines, which cling onto the tree branches. I was anxious for the surrounding only made note of my small existence in the world.

A sound of the bubbling water resounded as we walked along side a river, which eventually led to a lake where an energetic waterfall thundered into its mouth.

"Why are we here, Your Majesty?" My voice intruded the sound of Mother Nature as I turned to His Majesty.

"This is the place I go when I need to get away from my royal duties. I haven't come here for a while now." His amethyst eyes gazed at the waterfall as if he was walking down memory lane. He looked so peaceful, yet so venerable, and the lines of old age on his forehead became much more visible.

"How come you did not attend any of the festivities with your family?"

"I was ill as a child," I answered steadily, "So my parents believed it was best for me to stay home where I could receive proper nurturing."

It was a lie, but he didn't have to know. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable being around him.

Across the other side of the forest, the bells chimed and the horns blew, indicating the arrival of an acquaintance of the royal family. Using this as an excuse, I said, "It is getting chilly. Perhaps we should proceed back to the castle."

The King's eyes twinkled with mischief as he said, "Why, I know a shortcut."

…

A sound resembling a clash of thunder of an enraged sky echoed behind me, as if screaming for me to come back. I stared back at the entryway— which was concealed by the waterfall— to the 'shortcut' his Majesty announced, wondering how I even managed to survive the journey across the lake.

_I knew that the king was a warrior, but I never thought he would be the type to willingly get himself soaked in the presence of a spectator, much less a peasant. He waded in the water at the shallowest part of the lake in his royal attire. The red velvet cloak that pronounced him king was soaked, turning into a maroon shade, but he did not seem to mind._

"_See Hotaru? You won't die."_

_I frowned and stared at him inches away from the edge of the lake. "I believe it would be unsuitable to return to the palace with our clothes wet, Your Majesty." I was determined to return to the castle by foot because ever since a child, I was somewhat hydrophobic. _

_The king smiled, amused at my statement, "Now where would the fun be in that?"_

_Before I knew it, he had already grabbed my hand and pulled me into the lake. Coming in contact with the water, I felt myself tensed up and distress filled my whole being. My heart jolted with alarm as my now soaking gown cling onto my body. It felt as if the world suddenly collapsed on me._

"_Easy now." His majesty's voice called out, "Just stand up."_

_The moment I felt my feet touching the ground, I felt foolish, but the king did not mind. He guided me behind the waterfall, which happened to be a cave. While following him, I thought that I was crazy for following him, and I thought that perhaps, my biological father was somewhat ludicrous._

"Where is this place?" My words echoed through the cave, but my father ignored me. Instead, he walked deeper down and the lights obscured by water vanished into darkness. I followed his shadowy figure into the cave and when he paused, I collided into his back.

"Easy there." As he said this, a low rumbling sound resembling the clandestine passageway of the castle wall echoed through the cave. Something suddenly opened up as glows emerged from lanterns which I recognized to be mine, revealing an elongated passageway.

Our steps echoed in the cold corridor which seemed to stretch on endlessly, but I was proven wrong when the passageway split up into three entries. The king chose the one to the left. The quietness with exception to our footsteps echoing in the chilly passageway agitated me. I was freezing and my drenched gown did not help keep the warmth in my body. It was heaven when I found myself in a chamber filled with paints and canvases. The fireplace was lit, transferring the heat of the flames to the air.

"Where are we?"

"We're in the compounds of the castle," was the response that I obtained, but it was not entirely what I wanted, but nevertheless, it gave me hope to finding a way into my mother's bedchamber. "Where do the other passageways lead to?"

King Hyuuga stared into my amethyst eyes and then he asked me, "Why do you want to know? If I tell you, it will threaten my kingdom. You might be an ally for an enemy and instigate treason."

I stared into his amethyst eyes, challenging him to refute me as I said, "It's just to satisfy my curiosity, Your Majesty. Never have I heard of such a reprehensible suggestion. While the Imais are in the middle-class society, we will never defy the Royal family. We are forever loyal to the Hyuuga family."

"Well, I trust your words, Hotaru." Just like that, he told me, "One of the passageway leads to the Hyuuga's planning and strategizing congregation. It is where we gather the best of our team to plot military tactics."

"And the other one?"

"It…" He paused and his eyes gazed up at a portrait protected by a white sheet of fabric while hanging against wall. Softly, he answered my question, "It leads to my late wife's chamber."

…

"_Wandering after bedtime is prohibited, with exceptions to Royal Banquets."_

Lady Serena's sentence reiterated itself over and over in my head. A shiver went through my spine as my feet came in contact with the arctic floor. The room was no longer warm, for the fireplace was burned out. Quiet snores belonging to the ladies penetrated their air as every single one was already in a deep slumber. Everyone except for Mikan and me.

Her bed was empty, and but the covers were already made, indicating she had planned on sneaking out from the very beginning. Where did she go? I questioned, but I knew it was none of my concern. I had my own agenda while she had hers. Even if she asked me to help her, I wasn't responsible for supervising her. What mattered was I had to go back to that room with the secret passageway so I could visit my biological mother's bedchamber.

In the hallway, not a pin drop was heard. The silence was so oppressive that it felt as if the walls possess its own set of eyes and that if I ever slip my guard, I would be caught instantly. My acute memory found the door easily, but to my disappointment, the door was locked. Now what?

I needed to find that path again; the path that led to the grove which led to the waterfall. At that thought, I went rigid. No, I didn't want to go in that lake again, especially during a time where shadows lurked. Closing my eyes, I oppressed the urge of wanted to curse myself at my cowardliness and the strict rules that Lady Serina gave me.

"What are you doing here?"

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What are you doing up at this hour of the night?"

Inhaling deeply, I turned around to meet my fate, only to find no one behind me.

"What are you doing here, _Mikan?"_

Peering around the corner, I saw the princess of the Yukihara kingdom looked down at the ground dejectedly as the Hyuuga prince towered over her with menace and authority. His scarlet eyes burned with anger and a scowled was apparent on his face.

"You didn't come, Natsume! So I went to find you." The woman replied as she looked up. I didn't have to look to know that she was glaring at him, but I was puzzled. Mikan never told me that she personally knew the Hyuuga prince. In fact, she didn't mention anything about being his acquaintance at all.

Perhaps Mikan was better of an actress than I credited her for, but that still didn't answer any of the questions swirling through my head. Did he know that she was the princess of the Yukiahara kingdom? What was her motive? What did she _really_ want? It looked to me that in some way, she had already gained a part of his trust. I would bet all my rabbits that Mikan meant a lot more to Hyuuga than just an acquaintance. After all, the Hyuuga prince didn't talk to just anyone.

"Go home, Mikan."

"No," It was definite answer and I knew that Mikan wasn't backing down. "Not until you tell me what's really going on."

"There's nothing going on. It's decided for me to choose a wife before my eighteenth birthday."

"But you've already asked for my hand in engagement." Mikan said. "I told you I would answer the next visit, but you never came."

Now this _was_ news. The Hyuuga prince and the ex-princess of the Yukihara kingdom were lovers, so what made him back down from his proposal? Loyalty to Alicea?

"So why can't I stay, Natsume? Why are you so determined to throw me out of the competition when I might just be able to win this competition?"

Instead of answering her, he masked all his emotions and stared coldly at her, but I saw the flash of desolation in his eyes. It was unmistakable that he still fancied her.

"Leave Mikan or else I'll imprison you." He turned around and strolled off into the shadows of the night.

Mikan watched his back disappear before hissing, "You wouldn't dare."

It was then that a huge yet soft hand, and icily cold, covered my mouth. Terror flashed in my eyes as I struggled to get a look at his face. However, my endeavours were in vain, for my captor was clearly more powerful than me.

"Stay still if you want to live."

I swallowed before doing as I was told. My sixth sense told me I wouldn't be let off for sneaking out past bedtime, unlike Mikan, who was an associate of the prince's. I could tell that my captor was a young man of nobility. While his voice was gentle and placid, his aura was oppressive and imperatorial. Seeing that I wasn't going to escape, he loosened his grasp around my mouth.

"Who are you?" I whirled around and demanded. If I were to die, I would want to know who it was to have brought me to such fate.

I hitched a breath at the sight. While the Hyuuga prince rivalled a Greek god, this man rivalled an angel. Even for me, he was most presently handsome, wearing a long navy jacket with a button-down shirt, coloured matching shorts, and knee-high gartered socks. His outfit was completed with black boots and a ribbon was tied around his neck. It was certainly not an outfit to be wearing in the middle of the night, but nevertheless, he was wearing it. His hair was a shade of gold, but somewhat more polished and dazzling like the sun and his eyes resemble pools of blue that could bewitch any young maiden.

"You are a brave one, my lady." The young man ignored my question. "I'm sure that Natsume will find you interesting if you are given a chance to talk to him. Because of that, I won't throw you in prison. It will be Natsume who makes the judgement. My name is Ruka of the Nogi family, Natsume's best friend."

.

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_**To be continued.**_

_A/N:_ Guess who updated? I'm seriously on a roll. I had a major writer's block for the past month and the words wouldn't circulate and I had no idea how I was going to bring Ruka in, but nevertheless, I've succeeded! (: My gift to all of you guys this Christmas.

Oh, and before I forget, please answer the survey on my profile: _Which story should I focus on for the year 2011. _I'm trying to focus on one story, but that doesn't mean I will stop writing the others ones. It's just that I'll leave the other stories until my muses strike as I work diligently on one.

Please drop a review. Merry Christmas and Happy Early New Years!~

**+K. Tram~**

P.S. Should I give a title to each chapter?


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